The Ostrich Inn

The Ostrich Inn in Colnbrook stands as one of England’s most sinister establishments, with a history of murder that rivals any gothic horror tale. Dating back to 1106, this ancient inn was the site of systematic serial killings carried out by landlord Jarman and his wife during the 1500s. The murderous couple would identify wealthy travelers, ply them with drink, and then send them to stay in a specially rigged room where a trap door in the floor would drop the sleeping victim into a vat of boiling ale below. Over 60 people are believed to have been murdered this way, their bodies disposed of in the nearby Colne River and their valuables stolen. The murders only ended when a suspicious traveler discovered the mechanism and reported the couple to authorities.

The haunted legacy of these brutal killings permeates every corner of the building. Staff and visitors have reported seeing the apparition of a man in Tudor-period clothing desperately trying to escape from the upper floors, his terrified screams echoing through the night before being abruptly cut off. The room where the trap door murders took place is particularly active, with guests reporting being woken by the sensation of the floor giving way beneath them, phantom screams of victims, and the overwhelming smell of boiling liquid. Several people have refused to spend the night in that room after experiencing violent nightmares of drowning and being burned alive.

The pub’s spectral activity extends throughout the building, with witnesses reporting shadow figures moving through corridors, the sound of heavy objects being dragged across floors, and mysterious wet footprints appearing on dry floors as if someone soaked in river water has walked through. Objects move on their own, lights flicker without explanation, and there have been numerous reports of guests being touched or pushed by invisible hands near the staircase. The spirits of Jarman’s victims appear to be trapped in an endless loop of terror, forever reliving their final moments. Paranormal investigators have recorded dramatic temperature fluctuations, electronic voice phenomena capturing pleas for help, and anomalous readings on electromagnetic field detectors concentrated around the former murder room.